Stephanie Gitau crafted a stunning handbag display that blends practicality with elegance, making Valerie & Jochen’s bags a stylish part of their home decor. What's your wish?
A request by Jochen from Berlin, Germany
We are looking for a solution for hanging handbags on the wall in a way that it looks not only practical but also stylish where the handbags will become a part of the design. We are thinking about wood as material but we are also open to other materials. The availble space is 1m by 1m (see attached photo)
The Journey of Creating Custom made hand bag hanging solution
Negotiation & Planning
Custom made hand bag hanging solution - design ideas and artisan proposals
Good Morning,
Hope this finds you well.
Would like to to realize this idea.
However before i go ahead kindly let me know the following:
1. What are the sizes of the bags you usually use. If you dont have something to measure the bags with you can take a picture of the bags and this will guide me in designing a storage solution for your bags.
2. Would you like a design that can be mounted on the wall or would you prefer a free standing solution. If it is mounted on the wall its not going to cause damage to your walls. If your in a rental you might need to ask your landlord or look over your lease.
Once i have the above information i will be able to revert with designs to choose from and options of finishes.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
Stephanie Gitau
HI Stephanie,
thanks for your feedback.
Here are my answers to your questions:
1. the solution we are looking needs to be fully flexible in hanging different types of bags and sizes because the solution should last far more longer then the bags - we know that this is a challenge and we are hoping you will take the same
2. we would like to mount it on the wall. In Germany using a drill to hang something is allowed in every flat.
Looking forward to your feedback.
Regards
Jochen
Good afternoon,
Will come up with afew designed options that you can select. Kindly give a week to revert. Will get back to you on Monday the 30th. The design selections will be 3 to select from production will take 2 weeks from date of product selection and finishing approval. Kindly let me know if this is to your convenience.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Kind Regards,
Stephanie Gitau
Hi Stephanie,
yes sounds good to me.
Regards
Jochen
Good morning,
Hope this email finds you well.
Kindly find attached draft storage options for your selection.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hi Stephanie, there is only one Option (2) displayed but you mentioned options. We would prefer a solution where the bags are hanging and which is flexible in terms of the number of bags. Meaning if there are more small bags to hang this should be possible to utilize the space fully. Hope this helps you to get inspired. Regards Jochen
Good morning,
Kindly find attached the missing pages. All shelves have hooks to which you can add to the storage.
Hi Stephanie. I like option 2, especially the idea with the artsy background. My only problem is the shelf part because not all my bags are stable. There are firm ones and floppy ones. I don't want to have to keep stabilising the bags whenever I put them on the shelves. Do you have another idea with the background you mentioned but more flexible? I saw one bagholder where one could pull out the hooks/ holders when one needed them and push them back when not in use. When pushed out they were at a 45 degree angle.
Good morning,
Email well received.
Will make the changes to the drawings and revert. However the same design had an option for hooks underneath the shelves. Will also send you a closer look at the design for your selection.
Good morning, Hope this finds you well. Had sent an email with the edited drawings 29th of June, 2016 for your approval as i had an issue accessing the urban change platform due to unstable internet connection. Kindly find attached edited artwork for your approval. Apologies for the mix up.
Hi Stephanie. We're definitely getting closer to what we had in mind. The Edited Option 1 seems to be going in the right direction. Thank you so much for the detailed explanation.The only thing is that we're not sure whether we've understood it completely. We would really appreciate it if you could provide us with a side view of the details to understand it better. We believe that once we have that, we'll be able to move into the production phase.
Good morning,
Hope this finds you well.
Will work on the visualization of the new drawing and get back to you.
Good Morning,
Kindly find attached for your approval.
Hi Stephanie. Thanks. it looks great. Are they going to be at a 90 degree angle or a 45 degree angle? And do you already have suggestions for the pattern of the background material? We're really pleased with the outcome and would like you to go ahead with production.
Hello Jochen,
Glad you like it thus far. The angles will be to your specifications. Though both angles cam be achieved. Would like to get feedback on the pattern choice. Would like for you to give me an idea of the kind of colors your looking for and the patterns that would match your home. Once you give me that we can start production.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hello
We thought about different colours but somehow always came back to your example. So if you can find yellow with red accents that would be nice. As for the pattern nothing busy because we already have an african print curtain with lots of different patterns, so a slightly mordenised, pretty, simple (but still african print: preferably material from kenya) would be nice. As for the angles we think you'll be able to see which angles are better suited to hold the bags as you're making the frame.
Regards
Good day,
Thank you for the feedback, kindly share the picture of the African print you have on your curtains. I can create a modern version print from that and send over for approval.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Hi Stephanie. We're actually considering changing the curtains. So feel free to be creative in terms of colour and print. Maybe it will help us in choosing the next curtains, as we have no particular idea in mind. We're quite open in the choices.
Hello,
Hope this message finds you well. Will work on the print design and show samples as I progress with the work. Kindly let me know when to start. I usually work with a deposit first.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Crafting Process
How to make a Custom made hand bag hanging solution – work in progress
Hello,
Hope this finds you well.
Deposit of Ksh 7,935 is well received. I will be sourcing the materials for your product today and tomorrow. And should get back to you with the custom artwork during the course of the week.
Looking forward to realizing this project.
Good afternoon,
Hope this finds you well.
Had trouble logging in to update you during the week. Sharing the artwork designed for the storage. (no pending tasks page blocked me from updating).
Unfortunately I took ill last week and as a result has delayed production. Am pushing the fundi to do as much as possible. Having a meeting with him tomorrow morning to find out what's happening. Apologies for any inconvenience caused.
Happy holidays,
Kindly find attached pictures of progress thus far. The red heshian cloth will be used on the back panel which you see in the 3d renders sent earlier. The mechanism has changed from the pictures above. That way it's a much cleaner look when closed and opened. However there will still be a gap which will be covered using the same heshian cloth as that on the back panel. Had thought of using a kitenge cloth on the front instead of an artwork or do a custom screen print on the front as well. To assist in opening the flaps there will be a bit of heshian shaped like a ribbon to pull it open.
Looking forward to hearing your feedback.
Hello Stephanie. We like the idea with the heshian cloth on the back panel. We would prefer to have Kitenge material at the front. Could you please make sure that the material really is made in Africa and not the chinese knockoffs being sold these days?
Otherwise the progress sounds good so far. We're looking forward to seeing the end product.
Happy new year!
Hello,
Happy new year! Glad to know that you are happy with the progress.
Yes I will use the kitenge fabric that's locally sourced. Will take pictures of the fabric that match with heshian cloth used. Will be going to buy the kitenge tomorrow and send the pictures for your approval.
Kindly find attached pictures of progress thus far.
Hello,
Kindly find attached fabric selected for the product.
Hello Stephanie,
Thanks for the update. Please go on.
Hello,
Kindly find pictures of progress thus far.
Thank you! We are looking forward to the next steps 🙂
Hello,
Kindly find attached pictures of progress.
Hi Stephanie,
looks good!
Hello,
Kindly find attached.
It's finally in the framing stage!!!
Thank you for being amazing clients.
Thank you so much for the status updates. It really helped us visualise everything. We can't wait to hang up the finished product.
Hello,
Kindly find attached final product.
Thanks. Nice to see the whole product.
Just a question, below every flap there is a gap visible. I understand that this gap is relevant for the solution to work but I wonder if there is an alternative solution possible or a possibility available to cover flaps which are not in use?
Hello,
Well received.
The reason that production took as long as it did, in the beginning, was to solve this particular problem in the best way possible. Unfortunately, if we do go ahead and cover the gaps they wouldn't be able to open.
Kindly do let me know if there is anything else you would like me to change.
Hello Stephanie,
we understand the challenge 🙂 There is nothing else we want you to change. We already love it.
Regards
Valerie & Jochen
Hello Jochen,
It was a pleasure speaking to you.
We would like to redo the bag storage, meeting the fundi tomorrow to discuss the way forward and timelines.
Selling the product that was already made will take some time and might also affect the timelines for delivery.
Will update you on Monday on the way forward.
Hello Stephanie, yes was nice talking to you. Unfortunately the item is bigger then requested. Other than that we love our hanging solution. The selling of the product should not affect the timeline to re-do as the bags urgently waiting for the solution.
..
Hello Stephanie, hope you had a good start into the new year. Are there any news on our project?
Hello,
Am working on a new prototype of the product to cater to the changes highlighted. Once i have something to share will send pictures of the progress for your approval.
Kindly bare with me.
Great, I am looking forward to it.
The Finished Unique Piece – Individually Handmade
Reference: ON000285E-965
Detailed Cost Breakdown
| Price | |
|---|---|
| Cost of material |
181.13
|
| Cost of labour |
90.56
|
| Cost of packaging |
18.11
|
| Cost of delivery to local operations manager |
9.06
|
| Subtotal – payout to artisan |
298.86
|
| Customer acquisition costs (advertising etc.) |
29.89
|
| Handling fee Urban Change Lab |
29.89
|
| Shipping costs from Kenya to Germany* |
50
|
| VAT (Germany)* |
77.64
|
| Total |
486.28
|
*Shipping costs and VAT vary depending on your location.
Each price shown is based on a unique, custom request. Final prices may vary depending on materials, effort, and delivery location.
